Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Drug Shortages Hit Record High (But So Did Drug Overdose Deaths)
PJ Media ^ | 12/06/23 | Stephen Green

Posted on 12/06/2023 8:06:25 AM PST by SeekAndFind

Just this summer, the nation's pharmaceutical shortage reached a ten-year high, but the problem since then has only gotten worse — and in more ways than one.

The shortage was already "extremely concerning" for cancer patients, with oncologist Dr. Ajay Bhatnagar saying, "Hopefully, it can be rectified soon, but currently it’s a concern of how we figure out how to formulate an adequate treatment for these patients without having to ration or delay treatment."

That was in July. This week, "Drug shortages hit record highs," according to a DC News Now report on a Senate Finance Committee hearing. (Don't click the link. I'll explain why at the end of this column.) The crisis has been "going on for decades and is unique to the United States," according to CNN's writeup of the hearing. 

The shortages exist mostly in the generic medications that Americans prefer because they're so much less expensive — and therein lies the problem. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) explained that razor-thin margins mean pharmaceutical companies exit the generics business faster than new ones enter. As the nation's largest bulk buyers of drugs, Medicare and Medicaid make the problem worse since they're legally obligated to purchase strictly on price and never on quality.

Back in March, the Brookings Institute's Marta Wosińska told NPR that the nation's pharmaceutical supply chains — which stretch through China and India — are a "geopolitical risk." Nevertheless, "for us to think about bringing this enormous — enormous — supply chain back into the United States, it's just simply not feasible."

Meanwhile, China has no problem, none whatsoever, supplying endless amounts of fentanyl and fentanyl precursors in a timely manner.

(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; China; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: drugs; fentanyl; shortage

1 posted on 12/06/2023 8:06:25 AM PST by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I heard that Folks should check the Whitehouse if they are running low on drugs


2 posted on 12/06/2023 8:17:28 AM PST by Bob434
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Yeah, but ARs and AKs are the problem.


3 posted on 12/06/2023 8:40:34 AM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this💩? 🚫💉! 🇮🇱👍!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

“The crisis has been “going on for decades and is unique to the United States,” according to CNN’s writeup of the hearing”.

The once greatest country in the history of the world allowed this to happen. Disgusting.


4 posted on 12/06/2023 8:50:45 AM PST by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Since Joe Pedo came to power, we’ve got 10 million more illegal aliens living in our country that weren’t here before Pedo Joe invited them in. Good luck with the drugs.


5 posted on 12/06/2023 9:23:23 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (The damage Biden and his freak show is doing to America is not reversable.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

There’s plenty of fentanyl out there, weeding out a lot of the undesirables.


6 posted on 12/06/2023 12:58:17 PM PST by JimRed (TERM LIMITS, NOW! Finish the damned WALL! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson